Lobby the Labour Lords

Dear The Labour Lords,

Tuesday’s House of Lords debate on amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill will be a crucial moment in the fight against a hard and destructive Brexit. Three cross-party amendments on membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) have been tabled, in the names of Lord Alli, Baroness Verma and Lord Bilimoria, and I am writing to urge you to support them.

As you know, leaving the EEA would do profound damage to our economy, our public services and our trade with the EU, and and compromise the goal of avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. The EEA also helps protect employee, consumer and environmental protections. According to the Government’s own leaked analysis, leaving the Single Market and securing a free trade deal with the EU would result in a 5% hit to GDP by 2033, compared to a 1.5% if we remain a member through the EEA.

With the Brexit negotiations gridlocked, and the public growing increasingly concerned about where we are heading, support among Conservative MPs has clearly changed in favour of a softer Brexit. At least ten Conservative MPs have publicly indicated they support the UK continuing to participate in the EEA and there is now every reason to think the House of Commons would pass an amendment to stay in the EEA, if they are given the chance. So don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This will only happen if you and your Labour colleagues vote for the amendments on Tuesday - which is what the overwhelming majority of Labour members and supporters expect of the party in the House of Lords.

The importance of this moment cannot be overstated. Whether the UK stays in the Single Market and avoids the worst impacts of Brexit is now in the hands of the Labour Party. With the support of Conservative rebel MPs, you can help make this happen.

I hope you will continue to do the right thing, and put the interests of the economy and the country above all else.